Separator.



C. A. & R. M. WILLIS.

SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. WI 1. 1 gfim zmgs, Patented Aug. (3, 1918.

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SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. 1917.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR IIIIIIIII I" Y .J m mm m m M Wm 73 we WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARTER A. WILLIS AND REUBEN M. WILLIS, OF CHANUTE, KANSAS.

SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

Application filed March 29, 1917. Serial No. 158,362.

To all whom it mag] concern Be it known that we, CARTER A. WILLIS and REUBEN M. WILLIS, citizens of the United States, residing at Chanute, in the county of Neosho and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Separators, of which the following is a. specificatiton.

This invention relates generally to separators, and particularly to apparatus for recovering gases.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism for treatmg exhaust or waste oils and water, and which recovers from such waste the gases which are ordinarily lost. A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character which is automatic in o oration, thereby requiring no attention while performing its functions, and which is simple and inexpensive in construction and maintenance.

With these objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the housing for the separating apparatus, and illustrating in elevation a separating device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal fragmentary section taken through the casing and illustrating in top plan the separating apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a view of one end of the casing and apparatus;

Fig. 4 18 a sectional View taken on line 4t of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken through one of the pipe joints used in connection with the apparatus; and

Fig. 6 is a sectionalyiew taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The invention comprehends generally the employment of a separator tank or compartment,.int0 which the exhaust 011s and water are discharged, and which operates in such manner as to permit of the gases carried by the discharge matter to escape, and the oils or water flow from the separator free from gases. The invention further comprehends a tank or compartment of this character which is arranged so as to automatically compensate for the difference in the volume of waste matter delivered thereto, whereby danger of overflow or choking of the tank is obviated. The apparatus illustrated in the drawings and detailed hereafter is the preferred means for attaining the various ends.

The separator tank is indicated at 10, and in the present instance is shown as being elongated, and of cylindrical shape. Communicating with this tank at one end are pipes 11 and 12, the former of which is the intake or feed pipe, and the latter is the duct for leading the recovered gases from the tank. An exhaust pipe 13 is located at that end of the pipe opposite to the connection of the pipes 11 and 12, and communicates with the said tank at the lowest point therein. The exhaust or drain pipe 13 is equipped with a valve 14, so that the flow of water and oil'from the tank may be controlled. This tank is preferably disposed at an angle, with its intake end elevated and is capable of moving vertically. A spring 15 supports the tank intermediate the ends thereof, and the said tank, to permit of vertical oscillation thereof, is pivoted at its intake end. As fluid flows into the tank through the pipe 11, the increased weight of the tank will cause the latter to move downwardly upon its pivot and against the tension of the spring 15. As the contents of the tank is exhausted, however, the spring 15 restores the tank to its initial position.

The valve 14 is of that type wherein outward movement of the stem 16 opens the same to permit of the contents of the tank escaping therefrom, and is adapted to be actuated by the vertical oscillations of the tank. To this end, a bracket 17 is secured to the valve casing, and vertical arms 18 project upwardly therefrom upon each side of the valve stem. Pivoted at one end to the upper extremity-of each of the arms or posts 18 is a lever 19. These levers are, in the present instance, relatively long, and cross each other in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. A pivot pin 20 connects the levers at their point of crossing, and also extends through the valve stem 16. The free ends of the levers 19 are disposed between stops 21 and 22, arranged in spaced relation and in vertical alinement upon each side of the valve. The stops in this form of the invention are illustrated as being formed of strap metal, shaped to loosely inclose the extremities of the levers. When the tank is empty, the same will be supported by the springl5, and the valve will be closed. This valveis forced into closed position bythe engagement of the levers 19 with the uppermost stops 21. When matter is introduced to thetank in suflicient quantity, the weight thereof will force the drain end of the tank downwardly,

and when the tank has reached a predetermined position, the levers 19 will engage the lower stops 22, whereupon further lowering h of the tankwill .cause the stem 16 of thevalve 'to move upwardly. This operation obviously opens the valve, and the liquid contents thereofcan flow through the dram.

13. When the weight of the tank contents" has been sufiiciently reducedor dissipated, 2o thespring 15 will restore the same to initial or raised position, whereupon contact of the free ends of the levers 19 with the upper stops 21 will close the valve 14. It will be understood, of course, that the strength of 25 the spring 15 may be varied as required.

The intake and gas escape pipes 11 and 12 project outwardly from the upper end of the tank, and are then disposed in opposite directions and in axial alinement, as shown 80 in Figs. 1 and 2. The outwardly-disposed ends of these pipes are adapted to pivotally support the tank, and the swivel couplings for said pipes with the main feed and exhaust pipes will now be described. The extremities of each of the angularly disposed portions of the pipesll and 12 are provided with collars or flanges 25, upon each side of which gaskets or washers. 26 are positioned. A sliding sleeve 27 incloses the gaskets and flange of each of said pipes, and these sleeves are capable of rotating on their respective pipe ends. Each sleeve is internally threaded on its outer end as shown in Fig. 5, and is coupled by means of such threads to a head as 28 aflixed to the end of the adjacent main feed or exhaust pipe 29 as the case may be. From this construction, it is apparent that .the angularly disposed ends of the pipes 11 and 12 are capable of freely rotating in the couplings, and the couplin of each pipe is so made as to preclude t e possibility of leakage. The main feed and gas exhaust pipes are rigidly supported,upon a suitable frame 30, this frame affording a suitable support for a casing 31 inclosing the tank and its mechanism.

It will be observed that the spring 15 is attached at one end to the frame 30, and

-tends to pull the free end of the tank up- 60 wardly. In the present instance, a pair of such springs are employed, one'upon each side 0 the tank, and the said springs at their lower ends connect with the opposite extremities of the supporting yoke 32 enes gaging the lower surface of the tank.

' mounted in suitable bearing posts or standargest:

In addition to the yieldable supporting springs 15, there is provided a supporting apparatus for the tank, and may be used in conjunction with the springs 15, or independently thereof. This supporting means includes a yoke lever 35, upon the bight portion of which a roller 36 is rotatably mounted. Trunnions 37 project outwardly from the bight portion of the lever, and are ards 38 upon opposite sides of the tank. The parallel arms 39 of the yoke lever have adjlustably secured thereto weights 40. This yo e'lever isnormally disposed in horizontal position, and the roller 36 bears against, the under surface of the tank adjacent the free end thereof'to'support the said tank. The weights 40 may vary in size,.according to the quantity of material which'it is desired the tank shall hold before starting to swin downwardly. By adjusting the weig ts upon the arm ends,.it is obvious that the time for swinging movement of the tank may be regulated.

Mounted for longitudinal slidingmovement on the arms 39 are weights indicated at 41. These weights carry rollers '42, the

. uppermost of which support the said weights upon the arms. The upper or supporting surfaces of the arms 39 are inclined downwardly toward their free ends, so that when the yoke lever is in horizontal position, the

weights 41 will ravitate to the outer or free whereupon the arms 39 will be raised. Im-.

mediately, the roller weights 41 will move inwardly from the arm ends, whereupon the leverage is reduced. This action permits of the tank moving at a more rapid rate, and the valve 14 will at once be actuated. When the liquid within the tank has escaped therefrom, the weights will move the tank upwardly to normal position, and the sliding weights 41 will-again assume normal position at the outer ends of'their supporting arms 39.

In operation, water and oil is fed to the tank through the pipe 11. Any gases which might be conveyed to the tank with the water and oil will escape therefrom through the pipe 12, and it will be understood that the main gas exhaust pipe may be connected with a suitable storage tank for the gas. As the water and oils accumulate in the tank in suflicient quantity to over balance the springs and weights, the free end of the tank 130 will descend, whereupon the valve 14 in the drain will be actuated to permit of th 11 uids escaping.

t will be observed, from the foregoing, that an extremely simple and yet thoroughly eflicient means for attaining the various ends has been provided, and the various movable parts of the mechanism are so arranged as to present little opportunity for derangement, wear or breakage. The adjustment of the yieldable supporting means may be readily made, so as to enable the tank to attain predetermined quantities of water or oils before operating the exhaust or drain mechanism.

While the resent is a disclosure of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, as various changes may be made in the construction, arrangement, and proportion of parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a tank pivoted at one end and having a drain at its free end, a supply pipe for said tank, means governed by the downward movement of said tank for opening said drain, and a sprin supporting the free end of said tank. 2. n a device of the class described, a tank, a pair of pipes" communicating with said tank at one end, the outer ends of said pipes projecting-in opposite directions and in axial alinement, bearings forisaid ends, a drain valve at the opposite end of said tank, means for yieldably supporting the free end of said tank, and means governed by the movements of said tank for controlling said valve.

3. In a device of the class described, a ank, the said tank being pivoted at one end jecting beyond the said tank, and stops ad- Jacent the free ends of said levers and against which the latter are adapted to engage.

4. The combination with a vertically movable tank, of a post beneath and adjacent one end of said tank, a lever pivoted horizontally on said post and having its u per surface inclined downwardly at one en a roller on the opposite end of said lever engagedwith said tank, a rolling weight on the inclined end of said lever, and a stop on the free end of said inclined extremity.

5. The combination with a vertically movable tank, a valve in said tank adapted to open when the said tank moves a predetermined distance downwardly, a yokepivoted beneath said tank, the bight portion of said yoke being enga ed with the said tank, the upper edges of t e. arms of said yoke being inclined downwardly at their outer ends, rolling weights on the said arms, stops at the outer ends of said arms to limit. the

movement of said weights in one direction,

I CARTER A. WILLIS. REUBEN M. WILLIS.

Witnesses:

J. F. ADAMS, B. F. PALMER. 

